SANMATEO, CA (October 30, 2012) /PRNewswire/ — GoPro, maker of the world’s most versatile cameras and enabler of immersive life-experience capture and sharing, announces global availability of its new line of next generation HERO3 cameras. Debuted earlier this month to global media, the HERO3 is now shipping worldwide and is available in three models. GoPro’s flagship model, the HERO3: Black Edition, is the most advanced GoPro camera ever. With no expense spared in its development, the HERO3: Black Edition is 30% smaller, 25% lighter and 2x more powerful than previous models. Wearable, gear mountable, and waterproof to 197’ (60m), the HERO3: Black Edition is capable of capturing ultra-wide angle HD video at 1080p-60 frames per second (fps), 1440p-48 fps, 720p-120 fps, 2.7Kp-30 fps and 4Kp-15 fps. The HERO3: Black Edition can also capture 12MP photos at a staggering rate of 30 photos per second. Built-in Wi-Fi, GoPro App compatibility, and the included Wi-Fi Remote (normally a separate $79.99 accessory) make the HERO3: Black Edition arguably the world’s most powerful and versatile solution for capturing and sharing immersive and engaging footage of your favorite life experiences. With well over 3 million HD GoPro cameras sold since debuting in November of 2009, the HERO3: Black Edition is well positioned to be another global best-seller.

“The HERO3 makes it easier than ever to capture and share immersive and engaging footage of meaningful life experiences,” said GoPro’s CEO and Founder, Nicholas Woodman. “We’ve taken everything we learned over the past 10 years and put it into the HERO3, making it the most powerful and yet easy to use camera for self-documenting and sharing your life. Wear it, mount it, or hand hold the HERO3 and capture incredible footage that makes it look like a professional film crew is following you around. This is your life and you deserve to have a spectacular and entertaining record of it.”

Whether worn on the chest while skiing, mounted to a motorcycle to record a spirited ride, or worn on the head to document the birth of a first-born child, the HERO3: Black Edition captures stunning hands-free footage of your life experiences with professional quality normally seen only in professional productions.

Thanks to such professional results, consumers aren’t the only ones using GoPro to capture and share professional-quality content. Collectively more professional athletes, filmmakers, and creative artists are using GoPro than any other camera in the world to capture everything from competition footage to television commercials to feature-length films. As a result, GoPro has captured 95% of the global wearable camera market and over 20% of the global small form-factor video camera market, making GoPro’s HERO line of cameras the best selling small video cameras in the world.

“This is one of the most groundbreaking cameras to come out in recent years,” said Vincent Laforet, Pullitzer Prize-winning photographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. “GoPro has always been an enabling and disruptive company in that it makes the perfect tool to capture, experience and relive the moment for both consumers or professionals alike. Now, with the introduction of the HERO3 and it’s vastly higher performance, GoPro will become even more of a staple on professional production shoots – which is saying a lot for a camera you can buy at your local surf or ski shop. It’s a bit absurd in a wonderful way, really.”

11-time World Champion surfer, Kelly Slater, adds, “I first used the HERO3 in Tahiti during GoPro’s product launch video shoot, and the quality of the content we were capturing was mind-blowing. The most insane shots came from putting the GoPro inside the lip of the wave during ultra slow-motion shots and coming back out of the lip and into the barrel multiple times on each wave. I think people are going to be blown away by the quality and versatility of this even smaller and more powerful GoPro. The HERO3 makes sharing your own experiences even easier and I’m stoked to be a part of its launch.”

An overview of the HERO3: Black Edition’s enhanced features:

Smaller, Lighter…Better

Weighing in at a scant 2.6 ounces, the HERO3: Black Edition is 25% lighter and 30% smaller than previous models.

2X Faster Video Performance

The HERO3: Black Edition captures professional, cinema-quality video at 2X the resolution and 2X the frame-rate of previous models while delivering 2X better low light performance. Slow-motion aficionados and industry professionals will love the HERO3: Black Edition’s 1080p-60 frames per second (fps), 720p-120 fps, WVGA-240 fps, 960p-100 fps and 1440p-48 fps video modes while those desiring the highest possible resolutions will appreciate the 2.7KP-30 fps and 4KP-15 fps video modes. 4Kp-15fps video mode also represents a powerful still image capture mode in that it can be used to capture continuous 8MP+ video stills at a rate of 15 frames per second.

3X Faster Photo Performance

The HERO3: Black Edition’s photo performance is 3X improved, now boasting 12MP burst capture at a staggering 30 frames per second with 2X better low light performance compared to previous models. Still Photo and Time-lapse Photo modes remain the same but are now joined by a new Continuous Photo mode that captures continuous 12MP stills at a steady 3, 5, or 10 photo-per-second rate, up to 30 photos at a time.

Improved Sharpness, Less Distortion

The HERO3’s reduced-distortion, 6-element aspherical lens combines with user-selectable Ultra-wide, Medium and Narrow field-of-views to deliver more perspective-capture options than ever before. Add the totally updated flat-lens waterproof housing that delivers stunning image sharpness both above and below water and you’ve got one of the most powerful and durable image capture solutions on the planet.

Redesigned Audio System

Understanding that sound quality is as important as image quality, GoPro engineers completely redesigned the HERO3 to be as adept at capturing the subtle, natural sounds of voice and music as it is at capturing the immersive sounds of sport. Also improved is GoPro’s already famous wind-noise reduction, ensuring that you’ll hear more of your passion, be it your engine or expletives, and less of the wind during high-speed activities.

Built-in Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Remote Included

The HERO3: Black Edition features built-in Wi-Fi and includes GoPro’s Wi-Fi Remote accessory. The Wi-Fi Remote is normally available as a $79.99 accessory but is included with the HERO3: Black Edition. The Wi-Fi Remote is waterproof, wearable and can control up to 50 Wi-Fi-enabled GoPros at a time from a range of 600’. The HERO3’s built in Wi-Fi means it can also be controlled by iOS smartphones and tablets running the GoPro App*. The GoPro App enables full camera control and live scene preview on any compatible iOS smartphone or tablet with support for Android smartphones and tablets coming Winter 2012.

The HERO3: Black Edition is available for US $399.99 and includes GoPro’s Wi-Fi Remote accessory, normally a separate US $79.99 accessory, at no additional cost.

The HERO3 also is available in identically sized HERO3: Silver and White Editions, all sharing the same iconic look of the HERO3 and all sharing the same built-in Wi-Fi technology:

The HERO3: Silver Edition shares the same high performance 11MP photo, 1080p-30 fps and 720p-60 fps features as the best-selling HD HERO2 camera it replaces, yet it has built-in Wi-Fi and is 30% smaller and 25% lighter. The HERO3: Silver Edition retails for US $299.99.

The HERO3: White Edition shares the same high performance 5MP photo, 1080p-30 fps and 720p-60 fps features as the Original HD HERO camera it replaces, yet it also has built-in Wi-Fi and is 30% smaller and 25% lighter. The HERO3: White Edition retails for US $199.99.

The HERO3: Black, Silver and White Edition cameras are available at retailers around the world and at GoPro.com.

“We’re a passion capture company,” says Nicholas Woodman. “We’re enabling people to capture and share passionate, meaningful experiences with one another. It’s exciting to see how many people from around the world are now using GoPro and we can’t wait for them to experience the incredible HERO3 camera for themselves.”

*A software update for HERO3 cameras is required for GoPro App compatibility. A software update making HERO3: Black Edition cameras GoPro App compatibile will be available December 14, 2012 and HERO3: Silver and White Edition software updates will be available November 12, 2012.

About GoPro

GoPro makes the world’s most versatile cameras, enabling people to capture immersive and engaging footage of themselves during their favorite activities. GoPro’s HERO line of wearable and gear mountable cameras are used collectively by more consumers, professional athletes, and video production professionals than any other camera in the world. Based in San Mateo, California, GoPro’s products are available in stores in more than 100 countries worldwide and direct via GoPro.com.